Storage bucket assembly

ABSTRACT

A storage bucket assembly has a bucket and a hanging member. The bucket has a bucket body, two connecting portions formed on an outer surface of the bucket body, and an abutting portion disposed on a top of the bucket body. The hanging member is pivotally mounted on the bucket and has two connecting plates, a top plate, and two supports. The two connecting plates are connected pivotally to the two connecting portions, respectively. The top plate is connected to the two connecting plates. The two supports are disposed on the top plate. The two supports and the abutting portion are formed as a three-point support to make the storage bucket assembly steadily mounted on an edge of a table. The storage bucket assembly occupies very little space on a top surface of the table.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storage bucket assembly, and moreparticularly to a storage bucket assembly that can be hung and abut anedge of a table.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional storage bucket is used for storing objects. Take winebottle storage for example. The conventional storage bucket for winebottles has a flat inner bottom surface. Ice cubes can be stored in theconventional storage bucket for cooling the wine bottle put in theconventional storage bucket, such that temperature of wine in the winebottle can be decreased, improving the mouthfeel of cold wine drinking.The conventional storage bucket is usually put on a table for users toeasily take the wine bottle from the conventional storage bucket.

However, the conventional storage bucket put on the table occupies quitea lot of space on the table. Moreover, due to condensation formed on anouter sidewall of the conventional storage bucket, the table becomes wetand messy. For increasing the available space on the table and keepingthe table tidy, the conventional storage bucket may be put on the groundinstead. When the conventional storage bucket is put on the ground, theusers need to stoop to take the wine bottle from the conventionalstorage bucket. Furthermore, when put on the ground, the conventionalstorage bucket is not easily noticeable and is prone to be collided bythe users.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide astorage bucket assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementionedproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a storage bucketassembly that may solve the problems that the conventional storagebucket put on the table occupies too much space above the table-topsurface, the condensate water drops on the outside of the conventionalstorage bucket stain the table-top surface, the conventional storagebucket put on the ground is prone to be collided, and the wine bottle inthe conventional storage bucket on the ground is hard to retrieve.

The storage bucket assembly has a bucket and a hanging member. Thebucket has a bucket body, two connecting portions, and an abuttingportion. The bucket body has a top, an outer surface, a front side, achamber, and an opening. The chamber of the bucket body is formed in thebucket body. The opening of the bucket body is formed on the top of thebucket body and communicates with the chamber of the bucket body. Thetwo connecting portions are formed on the outer surface of the bucketbody at a spaced interval. The abutting portion is disposed on the topof the bucket body and is disposed adjacent to the opening of the bucketbody. The hanging member is pivotally mounted on the bucket and has twoconnecting plates, a top plate, and two supports. The two connectingplates are respectively connected pivotally to the two connectingportions of the bucket and each of the connecting plates has a top end.The top plate spans the opening of the bucket body, is connected to thetwo top ends of the two connecting plates, and has a bottom surface, aback side, and two supporting portions. The two supporting portions areformed on the bottom surface of the top plate at a spaced interval andare adjacent to the back side of the top plate. The two supports aremounted on the bottom surface of the top plate and are respectivelydisposed at the two supporting portions.

In use, the storage bucket assembly is hung down from an edge of a tablewith the hanging member disposed on the edge of the table. When thestorage bucket assembly is located beside the edge of the table, thestorage bucket assembly occupies very little space on a top surface ofthe table and keeps the top surface of the table tidy. The two supportsand the abutting portion are formed as a three-point support to make thestorage bucket assembly steadily mounted on the edge of the table. Thetwo connecting plates can sway relative to the bucket body to adjust theangle between the bucket and the hanging member. The storage bucketassembly can be applied to tables of different thicknesses.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage bucket assembly in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the storage bucket assembly inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage bucket assembly in FIG. 1,showing a hanging member swaying forward away from limiting stoppers;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the storage bucket assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the storage bucket assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view in partial section of the storagebucket assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operational cross-sectional side view of the storage bucketassembly in FIG. 1, showing the hanging member abutting an edge of atable;

FIG. 8 is an operational front view of the storage bucket assembly inFIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an operational cross-sectional side view of the storage bucketassembly in FIG. 7, showing a wine bottle and ice cubes put in thestorage bucket assembly;

FIG. 10 is another operational cross-sectional side view of the storagebucket assembly in FIG. 7, showing the wine bottle and the ice cubes putin the storage bucket assembly; and

FIG. 11 is an operational side view showing two storage bucketassemblies of FIG. 1 stacked together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a storage bucket assembly in accordancewith the present invention comprises a bucket 10 and a hanging member20.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the bucket 10 has a bucket body 11, twoconnecting portions 12, and an abutting portion 13. The bucket body 11has a top, an outer surface, a front side, a chamber 14, and an opening15. The chamber 14 is formed in the bucket body 11. The opening 15 ofthe bucket body 11 is formed on the top of the bucket body 11 andcommunicates with the chamber 14 of the bucket body 11. The twoconnecting portions 12 are formed on the outer surface of the bucketbody 11 at a spaced interval. Specifically, the connecting portions 12are oppositely disposed on the outer surface of the bucket body 11. Theabutting portion 13 is disposed on the top of the bucket body 11 andadjacent to the opening 15 of the bucket body 11. Preferably, theabutting portion 13 is made of silica gel and provides a good anti-slipeffect.

Furthermore, the bucket body 11 has two limiting stoppers 16. Thelimiting stoppers 16 are formed on the bucket body 11 and are disposedbehind the two connecting portions 12 respectively. In addition, thebucket body 11 has an inner bottom surface, a positioning protrusion 17,and a raising protrusion 18. The inner bottom surface is formed in thebucket body 11. The positioning protrusion 17 is formed on the innerbottom surface of the bucket body 11 and protrudes to the chamber 14 ofthe bucket body 11. The raising protrusion 18 is formed on the innerbottom surface of the bucket body 11 and is located between thepositioning protrusion 17 and the front side of the bucket body 11.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the hanging member 20 is pivotallymounted on the bucket 10 and has two connecting plates 21, a top plate22, and two supports 23. The two connecting plates 21 connect pivotallyto the two connecting portions 12 of the bucket 10, respectively. Eachof the connecting plates 21 has a top end. The top plate 22 spans theopening 15 of the bucket body 11, are connected to the two top ends ofthe two connecting plates 21, and has a bottom surface, a back side, afront side, and two supporting portions 24. The two supporting portions24 are formed on the bottom surface of the top plate 22 at a spacedinterval and are adjacent to the back side of the top plate 22.Furthermore, the top plate 22 has an indentation 25 formed in the frontside of the top plate 22. The two supports 23 are mounted on the bottomsurface of the top plate 22 and are respectively disposed at thesupporting portions 24. Preferably, the two supports 23 are made ofsilica gel and provide a good anti-slip effect. In addition, the twolimiting stoppers 16 are respectively disposed behind the two connectingplates 21, and selectively abut against the two connecting plates 21 toprevent the two connecting plates 21 from further swaying backward.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the two connecting plates 21has a pivot hole 211 and an expansion gap 212. The pivot hole 211 isformed through the connecting plate 21 and adjacent to a lower end ofthe connecting plate 21. The expansion gap 212 is formed through theconnecting plate 21 and communicates with the pivot hole 211. Each ofthe two connecting portions 12 has a shaft 121 and a limiting plate 122.The shaft 121 is formed on the outer surface of the bucket body 11 andis pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 211 of a corresponding one of theconnecting plates 21. The limiting plate 122 is formed on the shaft 121and holds the corresponding one of the connecting plates 21 between thelimiting plate 122 and the bucket body 11.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, to dispose the storage bucket assemblyon an edge of a table 30, the two supports 23 on the top plate 22 abutagainst a top surface of the table 30 and the connecting plates 21 abutagainst the edge of the table 30. Thus, the hanging member 20 is hung onthe edge of the table 30. With the two connecting plates 21 of thehanging member 20 pivotally connected to the two connecting portions 12of the bucket 10, the bucket 10 that is hung down from the connectingplates 21 of the hanging member 20 will sway until the abutting portion13 abuts against a bottom surface of the table 30. The two supports 23that contact the top surface of the table 30 serve as supporting pointsfor hanging the bucket 10. The abutting portion 13 that abuts againstthe bottom surface of the table 30 prevents the bucket body 11 fromshaking. The two supports 23 and the abutting portion 13 are formed as athree-point support to make the storage bucket assembly steadily mountedon the edge of the table 30. Accordingly, the storage bucket assemblycan be steadily disposed on the edge of the table 30.

With reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, when the storage bucket assembly is inuse, the storage bucket assembly is disposed on the edge of the table 30and a wine bottle 40 is put into the chamber 14 of the bucket body 11.Ice cubes 42 are also put into the chamber 14 of the bucket body 11 andare spread around the wine bottle 40 for cooling the wine bottle 40. Abottom surface of the wine bottle 40 is put on the positioningprotrusion 17 of the bucket body 11 with the positioning protrusion 17protruding into a recess formed on the bottom surface of the wine bottle40 for positioning the wine bottle 40. The raising protrusion 18 raisesa part of the bottom surface of the wine bottle 40 and the wine bottle40 tilts toward the hanging member 20. Thus, the wine bottle 40 leans onthe top plate 22 and is mounted in the indentation 25 of the top plate22. The indentation 25 of the top plate 22 allows the top plate 22 tostably hold the wine bottle 40 at a specific position, such that thewine bottle 40 is stably mounted in the chamber 14 of the bucket body11. The storage bucket assembly that is disposed on the edge of thetable 30 occupies very little space above the top surface of the table30, and keeps the top surface of the table 30 tidy. Accordingly,aesthetic appeal of the top surface of the table 30 is improved.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the storage bucket assembly can bedisposed on the edges of the tables 30 of different thicknesses. Sincethe hanging member 20 spans and is able to sway relative to the bucket10, the storage bucket assembly can be hung on the tables 30 ofdifferent thicknesses. The abutting portion 13 and the two supports 23are made of silica gel and have good deformation elasticity. When theabutting portion 13 abuts the bottom surface of the table 30 and the twosupports 23 abut on the top surface of the table 30, an angle formedbetween the bucket 10 and the bottom surface of the table 30, or betweenthe hanging member 20 and the top surface of the table 30, can beadjusted by the two connecting plates 21 for adjusting the anti-slipeffect. Furthermore, since the two connecting plates 21 can sway toadjust the angle between the bucket 10 and the hanging member 20 and theabutting portion 13 and the two supports 23 have good deformationelasticity, the storage bucket assembly is applicable to the tables 30of a wide range of thicknesses.

With reference to FIG. 11, to store multiple storage bucket assemblies,the hanging member 20 of each storage bucket assembly sways forward andthe top plate 22 sways to the front side of the bucket body 11. Thestorage bucket assemblies can be stacked, so as to save a storage space.

The storage bucket assembly as described has the following advantages.With the hanging member 20 disposed on the edge of the table 30, thebucket 10 is hung down from the edge of the table 30. The storage bucketassembly occupies very little space on the top surface of the table 30and keeps the top surface of the table 30 tidy. The two supports 23 andthe abutting portion 13 are formed as a three-point support to make thestorage bucket assembly steadily mounted on the edge of the table 30.Accordingly, the aesthetic appeal of the top surface of the table 30 isimproved. The storage bucket assembly is located beside the table 30 forconvenience of retrieving an object, such as the wine bottle 40, fromthe storage bucket assembly. The two connecting plates 21 can swayrelative to the bucket body 11 to adjust the angle between the bucket 10and the hanging member 20. The storage bucket assembly is applicable tothe tables 30 of different thicknesses. Therefore, the storage bucketassembly is practical for use. Furthermore, the raising protrusion 18that raises the bottom surface of the wine bottle 40 allows the winebottle 40 to tilt toward the hanging member 20 and mounted in theindentation 25 of the top plate 25. Therefore, the wine bottle 40 can bestably mounted in the chamber 14 of the bucket body 11.

What is claimed is:
 1. A storage bucket assembly comprising: a buckethaving a bucket body having a top; an outer surface; a front side; achamber formed in the bucket body; and an opening formed on the top ofthe bucket body and communicating with the chamber of the bucket body;two connecting portions formed on the outer surface of the bucket bodyat a spaced interval; and an abutting portion disposed on the top of thebucket body and being adjacent to the opening of the bucket body; and ahanging member pivotally mounted on the bucket and having two connectingplates respectively connected pivotally to the two connecting portionsof the bucket, and each of the connecting plates having a top end; a topplate spanning the opening of the bucket body, connected to the two topends of the two connecting plates, and having a bottom surface; a backside; and two supporting portions formed on the bottom surface of thetop plate at a spaced interval and being adjacent to the back side ofthe top plate; and two supports mounted on the bottom surface of the topplate and respectively disposed at the two supporting portions.
 2. Thestorage bucket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bucket bodyhas two limiting stoppers formed on the bucket body and disposed behindthe two connecting portions respectively and behind the two connectingplates respectively, and the two limiting stoppers selectively abutagainst the two connecting plates.
 3. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the bucket body has an inner bottom surfaceformed in the bucket body; a positioning protrusion formed on the innerbottom surface of the bucket body and protruding to the chamber of thebucket body; and a raising protrusion formed on the inner bottom surfaceof the bucket body and located between the positioning protrusion andthe front side of the bucket body.
 4. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the bucket body has an inner bottom surfaceformed in the bucket body; a positioning protrusion formed on the innerbottom surface of the bucket body and protruding to the chamber of thebucket body; and a raising protrusion formed on the inner bottom surfaceof the bucket body and located between the positioning protrusion andthe front side of the bucket body.
 5. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two connecting plates has apivot hole formed through the connecting plate and adjacent to a lowerend of the connecting plate; and an expansion gap formed through theconnecting plate and communicating with the pivot hole; and each of thetwo connecting portions has a shaft formed on the outer surface of thebucket body and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a correspondingone of the connecting plates; and a limiting plate formed on the shaftand holding the corresponding one of the connecting plates between thelimiting plate and the bucket body.
 6. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 2, wherein each of the two connecting plates has apivot hole formed through the connecting plate and adjacent to a lowerend of the connecting plate; and an expansion gap formed through theconnecting plate and communicating with the pivot hole; and each of thetwo connecting portions has a shaft formed on the outer surface of thebucket body and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a correspondingone of the connecting plates; and a limiting plate formed on the shaftand holding the corresponding one of the connecting plates between thelimiting plate and the bucket body.
 7. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 3, wherein each of the two connecting plates has apivot hole formed through the connecting plate and adjacent to a lowerend of the connecting plate; and an expansion gap formed through theconnecting plate and communicating with the pivot hole; and each of thetwo connecting portions has a shaft formed on the outer surface of thebucket body and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a correspondingone of the connecting plates; and a limiting plate formed on the shaftand holding the corresponding one of the connecting plates between thelimiting plate and the bucket body.
 8. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 4, wherein each of the two connecting plates has apivot hole formed through the connecting plate and adjacent to a lowerend of the connecting plate; and an expansion gap formed through theconnecting plate and communicating with the pivot hole; and each of thetwo connecting portions has a shaft formed on the outer surface of thebucket body and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a correspondingone of the connecting plates; and a limiting plate formed on the shaftand holding the corresponding one of the connecting plates between thelimiting plate and the bucket body.
 9. The storage bucket assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the top plate has an indentation and theindentation is formed in a front side of the top plate.
 10. The storagebucket assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the top plate has anindentation and the indentation is formed in a front side of the topplate.
 11. The storage bucket assembly as claimed in claim 3, whereinthe top plate has an indentation and the indentation is formed in afront side of the top plate.
 12. The storage bucket assembly as claimedin claim 4, wherein the top plate has an indentation and the indentationis formed in a front side of the top plate.
 13. The storage bucketassembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top plate has an indentationand the indentation is formed in a front side of the top plate.
 14. Thestorage bucket assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top plate hasan indentation and the indentation is formed in a front side of the topplate.
 15. The storage bucket assembly as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe top plate has an indentation and the indentation is formed in afront side of the top plate.
 16. The storage bucket assembly as claimedin claim 8, wherein the top plate has an indentation and the indentationis formed in a front side of the top plate.